14© Premitims ojftrcd hy Apvil 



every impartial perfon, that the enlargement of farms, 

 and the increafed number of fhcep, (which has only been 

 remarked during the fame period), have had no ten- 

 dency to depopulate the country; a faQ, of which every 

 impartial perfon is convinced : But this, neverthelefs, 

 has not prevented the prejudiced or the ignorant from 

 raifing a great outcry againft fheep and great farms ; 

 and, once prepofl'efled on theCubjecfl:, it is podible they 

 will continue to fliut their eyes on every evidence offer- 

 ed to undeceive them. 



How it came to be fuppofed, that flieep, which de- 

 mand an unremitting attention, Ihould yet require fewer 

 people to manage them in the Highlands than black 

 cattle, which roam at large on the hills, for feveral 

 months together, uncared for, or at lead unattended to, 

 is not to be accounted for. The fa£l;, however, that the 

 country has increafed in population, in proportion as the 

 (lieep have increafed in number, (affording more employ- 

 ment, as well as more food), appears to be completely 

 afcertained. The fame beneficial confequences appear 

 alfo to have enfued from enlarging the farms, (to the 

 limited extent in practice in this country); for although 

 the number of a£lual farmers has thereby been diminifh- 

 ed, yet more people have been employed in the works of 

 hufbandry, from the more improving fyftem of opera- 

 tions which takes place, (which alfo fends more food to 

 market) ; while, at the fame time, the labourers them- 

 felves are, in a greater proportion, married people ; as 

 the man who farms on a large fcale always finds it his 

 interefi to employ fuch, in preference to young men or 

 boys, the ufual population on little farms. 



February 20th 1800. H. 



TO THE CONDUCTORS OF THE FARMER's MAGAZINE.. 



Premiums offered by the Board of Agriculture^ for 1 800.. 



No. I. 



To the perfon who fliall draw up, and produce to 

 the Board, the beft, fimpleft, and moft pradlicable plai>, 



for 



